


The First and The Last

by frostedwheet



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Deception, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Powerful Character, Self-Discovery, Slow Burn, Triwizard Tournament, Wandless Magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-04 14:33:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20472617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frostedwheet/pseuds/frostedwheet
Summary: "I see your future, young one. Not the beginning, not the in between, but only the end. Your end is with the first."Ava is going through the motions of her 6th year at Hogwarts. She was raised and educated by the last of the original magic users, a nomadic tribe teaching the ways of magic used before wands were common. Now she's being forced to undergo the traditional training required by the UK Ministry despite being trained in magic in ways far beyond their comprehension.With no real challenge presented by her schooling, Ava finds plenty to keep her busy between helping her new friends navigate the Triwizard Tournament and a certain red headed twin popping into her thoughts with alarming frequency.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Set during the year of the Triwizard Tournament (Golden Trio's 4th; Ava's 6th).  
First time writing literally anything since English class 9 years ago.
> 
> Comments would be lovely!

The wind howled across the flat plains that seemed to extend for miles in every direction. Knee high amber grass rippled in waves with the strength of the gusts; no self respecting village or town had taken the chance and staked themselves in this area, largely due to the absence of mountains and trees to take shelter behind. Indeed, the plain was so far removed from any population there were no trails or walk paths retained by the grass- predators and prey alike avoided the vast flatland. The only source of light came from the unusually full moon above, its cool glow adding to the eerie scene. Even the numerous stars visible in the sky did nothing to lighten the surroundings with their twinkling. The wind roared on, picking up to a deafening level and becoming more capricious by the minute. The loud 'pop' couldn't be heard over the racket of the wind, and if it weren't for the two new figures suddenly standing in the grass, you'd never know anything had happened.

Two tall hooded figured swiveled their heads around, gathering their bearings and without spoken consent, they began to make long strides in seemingly no particular direction. The taller figure took the lead, their head constantly sweeping the area in front of them but never faltering in their step. The second figure was walking with much more care, their cloak held tightly around them. They followed the taller figure with no hesitation, keeping their eyes at their feet to plan their next steps. The pair made hardly a sound as they swiftly cut a path through the grass, the stalks falling before them as if finally happy to have a reason to be free of the wind. Like this they walked for nearly a mile until the taller figure stopped unexpectedly. They held out an arm to catch their smaller counterpart while their eyes searched furiously for something but found only the empty space ahead. They remained still and silent...the smaller figure readjusted their cloak around their body and stilled again. The wind began to ring in their ears and whip at their faces. They exchanged glances, unsure of what was to come next. Then all at once, it all stopped. The air was still. The cold ceased. The noise dampened. The darkness was illuminated. Simultaneously, the two pulled back their hoods and revealed their faces. The taller figure, a man, wore a relieved expression on his face as he pushed back the stray strands of his blonde hair. He looked anxiously back at the woman standing behind him, his eyes meeting hers and then darting down to her cloak which she still held tightly around herself. Her brown curls were tangled around her face but she didn't move to fix them. Instead, she turned her wide apprehensive eyes in front of her to watch the approaching figure.

The light seemed to be emanating from the new figure, reflecting warmly upon everything it touched. They both watched as the new face came into focus; tanned skin, intense dark eyes and matching dark hair were the first things they noticed about the new stranger. He finally came to a stop before them, a small ball of light in the palm of his hand flickering.

"You've come a long way to find us. We do not usually share our location with outsiders," said the dark haired man. He looked between the two strangers, lingering on their faces before asking, "Why have you come here?"

"Please," said the blonde man breathlessly. He gestured to his wife behind him. "My name is Leon and this is my wife Mayra. We run an orphanage. A child was left on our doorstep nearly a week ago. She was left with nothing but a name and a note that told us where to find you." He looked helplessly at his wife as if begging her to help him explain. Her wide eyes never left the dark haired man as she spoke.

"We have magic but the children we take in are muggles. We're able to take care of the orphans better than most and can still keep our secret. Her magic though... it seeps out of her, even at this age! She's not dangerous but I fear for the other children and what would become of them if her magic became known," her eyes flicked towards to her husband as she added, "I fear that we won't be able to care for her when she gets older. It's unheard of for a child only a few months old to perform such magic." The dark haired man furrowed his brow as he considered their story. After all, they were proposing leaving the child here and it could not be done in haste.

"Do you have the note that was left with the child?" asked the man. Leon shook his head shortly.

"No, the note burst into flames after it was read."

"Do you remember what it said? How it said to find us?"

"Yes," breathed Mayra. "The note said the child's name was to be Ava. Then it caught fire. Leon was holding it when it happened and he burned himself."

"It wouldn't heal," he continued. "It throbbed and stung but nothing Mayra or I did helped. It started on my finger. When I woke up the next morning, the burn had spread to my palm. It continued spreading and took a few days to fully form, but it turned out to be a map. And somehow, I knew exactly where to go. We apparated, and ended up here," Leon finished. His blue eyes pleaded with the man's dark ones. He couldn't make heads or tails of what the man was thinking. Leon fervently hoped this man wouldn't turn them away with a sneer and wave of his hand. Instead, he took a tentative step forward, eyes locked on the odd shape he knew to be the child still clutched under the woman's cloak. Even at a distance, he could feel the magical energy surrounding the child.

"May I?" he murmured while gesturing toward her cloak. Drawing a uneasy breath, Mayra allowed her cloak to fall around her although her careful hands never loosened their grip. The child was swaddled in a thick blanket obscuring most of her body, but her small pale face was still visible over the folds. As if the girl knew she was being surveyed, she turned her head and looked at the man with large eyes. Eyes that held too much understanding for her age. Eyes that made the man stop advancing suddenly, his breath hitching in his throat. Leon's own eyes were quickly darting between Ava and the man desperate to catch some clue to what he was thinking. No one moved for several moments; Mayra was about to break the silence and plead with the man to share his thoughts. Before she could say a word, the man spoke first.

"You spoke truly. She's special. Even among my people, she will be different." The man held out both hands, leaving the light he was holding floating midair. "Give her here. We will watch over her, raise her as a part of our tribe."

Leon and Mayra exchanged a glance- they had grown very attached to Ava and now their time with her was up. But she never belonged to them, they knew the minute they read the note left with her that she was destined for someone- somewhere- else. The man noticed the exchange and smiled gently at the couple.

"She will be safe with us," he assured. Mayra nodded to herself and looked down at the child for the last time. She ran her index finger down Ava's cheek as Leon cradled her head. After their muttered goodbye's, Mayra took a small step towards the man to make the transfer easier. She deposited the bundle in his arms,and once she was satisfied the child was secure, she returned to Leon's side. Leon's arm instantly came around his wife's shoulders. gripping her arm comfortingly. The man shifted Ava into one arm, leaving the other free. He smiled sadly at the couple as he thought of what he had to do next.

"Thank you for bringing her here. However, I'm afraid you can't leave with the memory of this place. The location of our tribe is not to be known by anyone but our own." He saw the beginning of fear in the couple eyes as they registered what he said. Before it could spread further, the man held up his hand, palm forward, and allowed the magic to flow from himself. He saw their features go slack and knew his magic was working. Once satisfied all appropriate memories had been erased from the couple, he gathered up the light still floating next to him, turned on his heel and began the walk back to the tribe. Glancing down at Ava, he saw her too-intelligent eyes peering up at him and smiled at her. _Oh my dear, how special you are indeed_, he thought to himself.


	2. Distracted and Demented

Ava sighed internally, noticing the glorious sunny day taunting her while she walked past the doors of the Great Hall. The sunlight sparkling and reflecting off the Black Lake were far more tempting than her Transfiguration lesson. Sighing again, she tore her gaze from the landscape and instead focused on not running into the mass of people crowding the hallway. Not that she had to focus very hard, mind. Most people had a natural tendency to avoid anyone wearing the green and silver colors of Slytherin. During her first months at Hogwarts, she couldn't help the confusion and hurt that she felt when she saw a different colored robe veer suddenly to a neighboring staircase to avoid her path. It was hard not to take it personally; she started attending the school last year during her 5th year- it's not like she ever did anything that would warrant that behavior. She lacked the history with her classmates to have any grudges against her. But now, in her 6th year, it was easier to ignore. After all, judging from the behavior she saw from her housemates, the prejudice wasn't completely unwarranted.

  
It only took a week of attending Hogwarts to figure out the school dynamic. Most simply, it struck Ava that while the students were formally divided into 4 houses, it was really either Slytherin or not Slytherin. And to be completely truthful, she didn't blame them. Blood status was an absolutely ridiculous notion to her. It was a huge surprise to have her first ever conversation with her new housemates start with an inquiry about her blood purity. An even bigger surprise was the reaction she got from the common room at large when she flippantly replied with a not-so-subtle comment about the mental capabilities of those to whom blood purity mattered. Alienating herself from her house was a delightful way to start her school year; she figured out not long after that she was already alienated from the rest of the school who assumed her ideals matched the those of the house she was sorted in.

She reasoned that none of it mattered, though. Only the teachers and headmaster knew the real reason she was attending Hogwarts; Ava was raised by one of the last nomadic tribes found in the States. She was told that she was brought there as an orphaned baby but she never once in her life had she felt like one. The people of the tribe, called by others the Firsts, were warm and embraced her as one of their own from the very beginning. They taught her a different way of magic- the original way. The modern wizarding community simply called it wandless magic, but they were truly ignorant to the kind of magic that the People wielded. Long before the invention of the wand came about, magic was channeled through the user. Complete focus and discipline were necessary to guide the wild forces of magic through oneself and remain unharmed. The results of using such magic, though, were unparalleled to modern magic. As the community evolved, wands were invented to further help magic users focus their energies. Rather than drawing the magic through oneself and releasing it the same way, the magic was channeled through a wand, eliminating much of the focus and discipline needed to use it. Spells and wand movements were later accepted by the entire community making magic more easily accessible. However, with the all the great things wands introduced, much was lost as well. While still powerful and effective, wand magic became a shade of what it used to be. The magical community everywhere began to forget the old ways of using and channeling magic, preferring the safer, albeit tamer, version of casting. Even among her own people, Ava was considered a prodigy. The amount of magic she possessed and was able to use far surpassed her peers in the tribe. She gained full control of her magic at a very young age and was for all intents and purposes, considered an adult by her People. Last year, she decided to relocate to London. Before she would be allowed to take up permanent citizenship, the Ministry of Magic required her to gain a formal education from Hogwarts. They reasoned that once she graduated, it would prove that she was able to control her magic by their standards.

_It was a dumb idea_ thought Ava, but she reminded herself that no one knew what she was really capable of. Well, except the faculty of Hogwarts. At the beginning of last year, she was taken aside into Dumbledore's office to test her abilities and determine where she fit in the curriculum. Needless to say, she well exceeded their expectations, and after an explanation of who she was, she was met with delight and excitement from the professors. The Firsts were thought to have died out thousands of years ago; to have one of them in their midst was unthinkable. They each quizzed her on magical theory of their given fields, and even found themselves rethinking a theory or seeing it in a new light. Ava brought a wonderful new spin on things that the wizarding community thought to be certain. It became abundantly clear she possessed innate understanding- a connection, almost- of all things magic. It was said that the Firsts had this type of knowledge, but another thing entirely to witness it. After coming to realize what Ava was capable of, the professors decided that it would be best to keep Ava with her own age group, rather than education level. They told her that she would likely find all of the classes quite dull, but encouraged her to make personal connections and observe the different type of magic being used around her.Ava smiled wryly to herself, musing over the "personal connections" she's made.

  
_You'd think that if they really wanted me to make personal connections, they would have put me in a different House._True, she was surrounded by other 16 year olds, but that was the only thing they seemed to have in common. No one seemed willing to get close enough to find out anything else about her.

  
Deciding to stop her train of thought before she depressed herself, she turned into Transfiguration. She always enjoyed this classroom. Set up more like an amphitheater or lecture hall, with its tiered rows and round shape, it was an excellent space to observe others. She dropped herself in her normal seat- the top row in the furthest corner she could find. Ava rummaged through her bag for her notebook and a quill. Although she had no need to take notes in class, it went a long way to keeping up appearances. She wasn't fond on the idea of everyone knowing the truth about her.

  
Students were still filtering in for class affording Ava her favorite hobby- people watching. Leaning forward on her elbows, she propped her head in her hand and watched everyone take their seats. The majority of her classes were shared with Gryffindor. For the most part, she found them amusing. Especially the Weasley twins. Watching their pranks unfold was like watching an exquisite flower bloom. She loved seeing their ideas start as a small nudge or twitch of an eyebrow and evolve into a fully formed diabolical plan executed with nearly no verbal communication. The connection they had was undeniable- she supposed it was something to do with them being twins.

Every one seemed in good spirits today. Ava didn't notice any slumped shoulders or scowling frowns. What she did notice was quite a few longing glances shot at unsuspecting students. She stifled a giggle.

_S__eems like the romance is starting early this year_ she thought. _Can't blame them though, they're all starting to_ _grow out of that awkward teenage phase._ She made a mental note to watch the progress of a few of the more intense looks. She had to keep herself busy somehow.

Class began the same way it always did; Professor McGonagall lectured about the expectations in her class for the next year. Unlike the previous years though, it heavily revolved around the impending N.E.W.T. exams.

  
"You've all attained the required grade to continue in Transfiguration. I must warn you though, the coursework will be much more difficult and demanding than what you faced last year. I have no doubt, however, that all of you will be able to rise to the challenge as long as you apply yourselves." Her eyes came to rest upon the Weasley twins as they smirked at each other. Her gaze lingered only a little longer before she launched into the explanation of non-verbal spells. With a wave of her wand, the theory of today's lesson appeared on the blackboard."You will now proceed to attempt Vanish your mouse using non verbal magic only. Although this was taught during your last year, I think you find it takes a great deal more of concentration and focus." McGonagall peered over her glasses. "You may begin."

  
Students all around Ava began pointing their wands at the mice. A few looked dubiously at each other, not sure where to begin. The vast majority all adopted rather comical expressions, straining hard and looking as if they were determined to win a staring contest with a mouse. Several minutes passed with no progress made by anyone, and Ava's amusement started to fade. She looked down at the mouse scurrying on her desk.

  
_Merlin, they weren't kidding about these classes being dull,_ she thought to herself. The way she was taught to use magic was completely non-verbal. In fact, her magic was guided more by intent rather than any spell she could use. Instead of intoning some Latin phrase and moving a wand just so, all Ava had to do was think of the outcome she wanted and release the magic. She frowned down at the mouse now considering the leap to the next desk.

  
_Oh no you don't._ The mouse rose up and landed in the middle of her desk, effectively stopping its escape. Setting an invisible boundary around the mouse to prevent any further attempts at freedom, her eyes flicked over to the rustling beginning a few rows down.

  
_What are they doing?_ Ava watched as on as Fred grabbed his mouse. He shot George a grin and leaned over his desk. Ava held her breath as she saw what Fred was heading for. She leaned back in her chair and bit down on her knuckles to keep from laughing as Fred dropped his mouse down the robes of the girl in front of him. She stood up shrieking, clawing at her back desperately. Professor McGonagall was upon them in minutes, scolding the girl for breaking the silence and concentration of the room.

  
"And I'm sure, Mister Weasley's, that if you have time enough to drop your mouse down Ms. Spinett's robe, you have already succeeded in silently Vanishing your mice?" asked Professor McGonagall, arching a sharp eyebrow. "Let's see you try, George."

  
Ava knew how this was going to end. She knew no one in class was able to silently vanish their mice, and she knew for a fact that the twins had barely tried. She knew it'd end in detention for them both. McGonagall was standing over George expectantly with a severe look on her face.

Despite this, George quite cheerfully replied "Right you are, Professor."

If he felt any trepidation at all, the grin on his face didn't betray it. He took a breath, and pointed his wand steadily at his mouse. Seconds passed with no results and Ava saw the smile George still wore turn down at the corners slightly.

  
_Well we can't have that, can we?_

  
McGonagall's mouth opened to serve the twins their detentions, but before she could make sound, Ava silently released her magic. The mouse vanished. Ava smirked at the surprise on both George's and the professors face.

  
"Well done, Mr. Weasley," the professor recovered quickly."5 points to Gryffindor."

  
George's grin widened, and as McGonagall turned back to her desk, he shot a look at Fred. He shrugged as if to say '_it wasn't me._' Ava continued to watch George, interested to see what he'd do next. What she didn't expect was George to feel her gaze and turn in his seat to see her staring at him.

  
_Shit_.

  
Ava kept herself from blushing in embarrassment at being caught. She smiled at George and winked at him mischievously. He smiled back and nodded his head at her in silent thanks. The bell rang signaling the end of class. Still smiling to herself, Ava packed her notebook back in her bag and deposited her mouse in the box being passed around. Hitching her bag over her shoulder, she headed out the door, making a beeline to the doors of the Great Hall. She had no more classes until dinner which afforded her the time she wanted to spend her day out in the warmth of the sun. Ava already had the perfect spot in mind; one of her favorite places to spend time was under a huge willow tree on the shore of the Black Lake. She reached the steps leading out on the grounds when she heard a shout behind her.

  
"Hey, Slytherin!"

  
Ava turned curiously, wondering if that was meant to address her. She saw the twins jogging over to her and assumed that she was, in fact, 'Slytherin'.

  
"Well that's probably not the worst thing I've been called," mused Ava as the twins drew nearer. They broke out in identical grins.

  
"Sorry, Slytherin, we didn't know how else to get your attention," said Fred.

  
"Yeah, we figured anyone barmy enough to talk to a Slytherin would be enough to get your attention," joked George, clearly glad she hadn't taken the name seriously. "Besides, it's not like you've told us your name."

  
"Which is odd, to say the least. We have all our classes together and I don't think I've ever heard your name," continued Fred. Ava arched an eyebrow at the two of them.

  
"It's not like you've ever asked. You'd think you guys have had plenty of opportunities with all the classes we share." Ava kept her tone light, but there was no mistaking the coolness behind her voice. The twins at least had the decency to look mildly ashamed.

  
"By Merlin, George, I think she's right!" marveled Fred.

  
"Dear girl, may I please ask the name of my savior?"

  
Ava couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her. _These two are really over the top. _

"Ava Sterling, rescuer of the distracted and the demented, at your service." She bent slightly to a small bow.  
  
"Can I be the demented one?" asked Fred, his lips twitching in the corner.

"Of course, no one could see you and not assume you were the demented one," said George with a twinkle in his eye. His brother puffed his chest indignantly. "But seriously, thanks for helping back there. It wouldn't do to be in detention our first week back."

"Not that it would be unexpected, mind you-"

"Just unfortunate," grinned George.

"My pleasure, boys. It was the least I could do for the laugh I got out of it," said Ava. She turned and began walking down the steps towards her favorite haunt.

"The best of the distracted and demented have yet to be seen!" Fred's voice called out after her. George's followed right after.

"With your continued support, we're sure to reach heights never seen before!"

Ava looked back at the two boys still shouting in the doorway, laughing openly over her shoulder. She waved goodbye to Fred and George. She shook her head to herself.  
_It might be worth it to keep an eye out for those two. It'd be interesting to see what they have planned._

Finally reaching her spot under the willow tree, she missed the lingering glance George gave her.


	3. Sewing The Seeds

The first weekend of the term passed without much excitement for Ava. As usual, she spent most of her time outside in her spot underneath the willow tree. She tried very hard to avoid spending any time in the Slytherin common room. Instead, Ava laid out on a blanket with her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of being under the sun. She thought of how much she missed the warmth of her home in the States; Ava was woefully unprepared for the colder climate at Hogwarts.

Despite the amount of time she spent under the sun, her skin remained as fair as ever. She wasn't pale, by any means. Her natural skin tone was just...light. It bothered her to no end; her skin would burn and turn red as tomato, the usual promising signs of a future tan, but she would end up peeling for a week and see no golden glow underneath. She used to hold out hope when she was younger- the other people of her tribe were deliciously sun-kissed. Years passed and she had no such luck though, so now she merely reveled in the warmth against her skin. She took advantage of the lax uniform policy when classes weren't in session and wore a simple pair of denim shorts and a flowing grey tank top, determined to expose as much of her skin to the sun as she could get away with. Her clothes weren't indecent by any means, but she was sure that some over protective mother out there would no doubt love to lecture her about the short length of her shorts.  
  
Spending her free time outside was hardly a singular idea. It seemed the entire school had joined her and Ava found herself constantly surrounded by the chatter of other students. She didn't mind, though, it gave her plenty of opportunities to eavesdrop. The majority of conversations she heard weren't enlightening about anything in particular, but she couldn't deny the juicy bits she did glean. Apparently, Marcus Flint was caught in the Astronomy Tower having himself a late night shag (_Merlin, that boy was revolting._ Ava nearly dry heaved thinking about it); Sophie Roper, some 7th year Ravenclaw, was hexed in the corridor for supposedly stealing her best friend's boyfriend over the summer (Ava would have liked to have been there for that one; it seems the girl's face inverted itself and looked a lot like a asshole); and Cedric Diggory was the new poster boy of Hogwarts. His name came up at least twice in nearly every conversation she overheard. Girls in every house were fawning over him, excitedly chittering about how tall he was and his dark intense eyes. Ava could see the attraction, sure, but it didn't mean she shared it.

It wasn't long before the gossip started to repeat itself. Lifting her hips slightly to adjust herself after laying in the same position for an hour, she was grateful when the boy talk fizzled out and gave way to the most exciting tidbit: the Triwizard Tournament. It had been on the forefront of everyone's mind when it was announced during the first feast, but without any more announcements on the matter, there wasn't much to talk about. The discussion started up again with renewed vigor following the announcement on the bulletin board Saturday morning: the competing schools were due to arrive Halloween night. Ava was looking forward to seeing the students the two foreign schools brought. Durmstrang was sure to bring lots of new eye candy- Ava knew the majority of the students there were males. Beauxbatons students were more of healthy mix of students, much like Hogwarts, but their reputation for being snooty preceded them.

Ava stayed outside for another hour or so until she grew tired of the constant noise her classmates provided. She stood, brushing off any stray grass blades stuck to her legs. Her hands lingered on her shins, feeling the warmth on her skin. Grabbing her blanket and turning towards the Great Hall, she only got a few steps in before she heard her name being called.

"Hey Ava!"

  
She turned to the direction of the voice to see Fred and George waving her over to them. They were posted up on a patch of grass not far from where she was lounging. Looking briefly to the others sitting with them, she saw a boy who she knew was one of their best friends- he was rarely seen without one or both of the twins.

  
_Damn, what was his name again? Leo?... No, Lee I think._

  
Two girls also sat in their group. Ava definitely didn't know their names, but recalled seeing them play on Gryffindor's quidditch team. One of them had her black hair pulled back into a long, beautiful braid that swayed every time she moved or laughed. Her features were hard, but not masculine. The girl sitting cross legged next to her was fair and had more refined features than her friend. Her blonde hair was fine and left free of any ties, spilling well past her shoulders.

Ava hesitated slightly, not sure if she would be welcome in the group of Gryffindors. She toyed with the idea of just waving back and continuing to the Great Hall for dinner. Fred seemed to sense her dilemma and beckoned her over again with a grin on his face. She took a breath and forced it out of her nose, quickly placing a small smile on her face as she approached the group.

"Hello, boys. Nice to see you take some time out of your busy schedules to spend some time outside with your friends." Ava stopped behind Fred and Lee, smiling wryly down on them.

"Even geniuses need a break, Sterling. We can't be on all the time." Fred rolled his eyes at her as if it really didn't need an explanation.

"I don't think I've ever seen you 'take a break', mate. Earlier today, you put itching powder in a blokes underpants," snorted Lee.

"That was George, don't lump me in with such uninspired acts."

"Even more impressive," George said leaning towards Ava, "if you factor in the fact he was wearing them while it happened." His eyebrows wiggled suggestively as they all burst out in laughter.

"I hope you put it down the back, not the front. Although there would be a certain poetic justice if you didn't." Tilting her head to the side, she shot a devious smirk at George as the others started laughing again.

"Oooh, the snake has claws!" He patted the patch of grass next to him, inviting her to sit down. Ava hesitated again.

She was acutely aware of the looks the group of still chuckling Gryffindors were giving her. She wasn't afraid of them- the insults and glares she got from her housemates were far worse. What she really wanted to avoid was making anyone else uncomfortable.

She knew that students expected her to be like the rest of the Slytherins. Pure blood mania and haughtiness were supposed to be her bread and butter. Ava tried during her first year at Hogwarts to combat that reputation and show people that was different. While in the library, if she overheard someone having trouble with Charms theory or a Potions law, she would gently explain and try to clarify their confusion. Every time she was met with wide eyes and an indifferent mumble of thanks. A few times she even lingered and tired to make conversations about the weather or a recent lesson, but it was very hard to talk to someone who had their eyes glued resolutely to the table in front of them. After a number of attempts, she gave up.

Ava struggled constantly with the feelings of hurt and bitterness that stemmed from situations like that. She was a very empathetic person and could understand their point of view, but she couldn't get over the refusal of her classmates to make an effort with her in return. After the last awkward encounter in the library, she made the decision to just keep her distance from the other students. She reasoned that it was easier to spare people the discomfort and spare herself the confusion. If they wanted to get to know her, they'd have to approach her first. At least she tried.

Now she found herself standing in front of a group who was openly inviting her to sit with them. A wary happiness started spreading in her chest. Licking her lips and taking a silent steadying breath, she quickly cast another glance around at the group and gracefully settled next to George. She offered a small smile to him as she folded her legs closer to herself. 

"I suppose introductions are in order, Sterling. Don't feel bad, we can't all be as infamous as we are." He winked as Ava rolled her eyes. "Guys, this is Ava Sterling, an enigma wrapped up in green and silver. She saved my arse in Transfiguration the other day."

"That's Angelina Johnson," began Fred, gesturing towards the girl with the long braid, "one of the finest kinds. Not a bad chaser, either." Angelina smiled and nodded at Ava.

"Katie Bell, heart of gold and also a fair chaser." Katie struck her foot out to lightly kick Fred on the shin, but nevertheless, raise her hand and wiggled her fingers in greetings. 

"And that's-"

"Lee, right?" asked Ava. "I can't remember a time I've seen the twins without you far behind."

"At your service," beamed Lee, swinging his arm out in a pseudo curtsy. 

"Just how long have you been staring at us, Sterling?" bemused George. It was Ava's turn to roll her eyes. 

"Again, don't feel bad. It's just our animal magnetism," joked Fred. 

Ava snorted before answering. "Please, it's hard not to look at you two. You're easily the most obnoxious pair in this school." The twins looked caught between affronted and proud. "Besides I have enough self preservation to make sure I don't get caught in one of your pranks," she finished laughing. 

"It was probably your self preservation that landed you in Slytherin. You'd think that'd be enough to not want it anymore," Fred quipped back. 

"You know, there might be a few other traits that landed me there too. I'd like to think I'm not all bad."

"Yeah, Fred," added George, a mock serious look on his face. "Watch what you say about my savior. I'm honor bound to duel those who slight her."

"Thank you, George." 

Ava chuckled as George leaned behind her to begin arguing with Fred about who would really win a duel between the two. Lee quickly inserted himself in their argument and left the three girls to talk to each other. She looked across from where she was sitting and saw Angelina looking at her quizzically. She quickly smiled when Ava caught her gaze, a small blush crossing her cheeks. 

_Well, I guess I'm gonna try this again. It's a better start than I've had so far. _

"Your hair is so beautiful, Angelina. Every time I try to braid my hair, weird little tufts end up sticking out and it looks like a raggedy birds nest."

"Oh, thank you!" Angelina grabbed her braid unconsciously and pulled it over her shoulder. "I have so much of it, it's hard to find the time to do much anything else with it other than braiding it or putting it into a ponytail."

"I've always told her that it's not a bad problem to have," sighed Katie, leaning back onto her elbows. Looking at Ava, she continued, "Trust me, I know exactly what you mean about the birds nest."

"Well at least you two can do cute things with your hair without your arms falling asleep from having them above your head for so long."

"Why don't you use magic to style it?" asked Ava.

Angelina shrugged. "I don't know any charms for stuff like that."

"I have a book full of charms for beauty stuff, every single one is pure gold. You're welcome to borrow it if you want." 

Angelina's straightened and her eyes lit up, but Katie got there first. 

"Oooh, yes please!" she gushed. "I've never come across one that had anything worth while in it!"

"That's because," Ava began conspiratorially, "I got this one in the States. It's not sold here. They take stuff like this much more seriously over there."

"Yeah, that'd be great!"

The girls continued talking excitedly about beauty charms and the varying successes they've had with them, and Ava found herself really enjoying their company. 

_It's been a while since I've had any one to talk to like this, _thought Ava. It surprised her how much she really missed having any sort of friendly conversation with someone her own age. She found herself wishing it didn't have to end when she noticed the sun beginning to set. 

Angelina was the first to stand, offering her hand down to Ava to help her up. She took it gratefully and noted the strong hand in hers as she rose to her feet. Ava smiled and thanked her, brushing off the dirt from the back of her shorts. Turning at her hips to stretch out her back from sitting so long, she saw the crowd of students heading towards the Great Hall for dinner. She felt a sudden sense of reluctance at the thought of sitting at the Slytherin table where she dined by herself. She felt a gentle hand on her arm and turned towards 

"Why the frown? The food here isn't so bad," questioned George. Ava looked at him for a moment, considering her answer. She noticed that the others were listening in as well. 

_Ah, what the hell. _

"The Slytherin table seems pretty unappealing after spending the afternoon with you guys," she replied listlessly. 

Angelina shared a confused look with Katie as George looked at her curiously. 

"Well it's not like you don't have your own friends to sit and talk with at your table."

"Yeah, right," she huffed, flicking off a bug that landed on her forearm, "they probably hate me more than they hate you."

"Since when?"

"Since I told them that they might have been able to see that blood purity was a ridiculous concept if only they'd pull their heads out of their asses."

Silence fell on them as they looked at her with disbelief. Ava began to feel a little self conscious until all of them doubled over with laughter. She grinned awkwardly as they began to straighten up, still chortling. 

"Merlin, I would have loved to see their faces after that one," Lee said appreciatively. 

Angelina and Katie, she noticed, both appraised her with a new look. Ava could only describe it as respect. 

"There's hope for you yet, Ava." Fred patted her on the shoulder as he led the group up the stairs into the entrance hall. 

Once at the doors of the Great Hall, Ava turned left while the other five turned right. Angelina and Katie waved good bye after procuring another promise to bring the charms book to the next class they had together on Monday. Lee tipped his fingers to his head in a salute as Fred and George both winked at her as they followed the girls to the Gryffindor table. She raised her hand in farewell and made her way to the Slytherin table. Many of the Slytherins were eyeing her with distaste as she took her place on the bench and began fixing her plate. 

_Today turned out much better than I thought it would _she thought to herself. Smiling to herself, she couldn't help but chance a look down the table at Marcus Flint. Her smile grew when she noticed he was moodily stabbing his potatoes, no doubt still sullen about the months worth of detention he got for his late night escapade. 

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! :)


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